Make sure to brief yourself on how to check the oil. Sounds stupid I know, but a lot of us started out by over filling our bikes.
Basically, just take it fo spin around the block before you check it. Do not start it and run it for 1 minute and shut it down thinking its good, because it won't be. Also, with the bike sitting on the kick stand, it can never scavage all of oil from the case.

Warm weather in 3, 2, 1, awesome weekend ahead. Hopefully the doctor doesn't tell me I am off the bike for rest of the season.

Yeah, I'd planned on putting a new plug in. I'll see what's going on with the jetting. I haven't seen a lot of spark plugs before so I don't have much experience, but this does seem to have a lot more carbon build-up than the others I've seen.

I really hope it isn't burning oil, I've already had to deal with one bike burning oil that turned into a nightmare.

That one is worn out and it looks like it wasn't fully tight, close, but not fully...that's why the threads are black.

Check for a stuck open thermostat, it will make the engine run too cool and cause carbon buildup about like that.

Make sure to brief yourself on how to check the oil. Sounds stupid I know, but a lot of us started out by over filling our bikes.

Yeah, I had read about that. I think I've got it figured out, but I'm waiting until I get the engine all back together and a new spark plug before I start it so I can change the oil.

Quote:

Originally Posted by larryboy

That one is worn out and it looks like it wasn't fully tight, close, but not fully...that's why the threads are black.

Check for a stuck open thermostat, it will make the engine run too cool and cause carbon buildup about like that.

Thanks for the tip on the thermostat, I'll check it out. I've read that can be a common problem with these bikes, particularly the earlier ones. I have read of some people just taking the thermostat out, and then making sure it gets a good 5 minute or so warmup before taking off. Any thoughts on that?

I know the best would be to buy a new thermostat, but if we hypothetically pretend that my wife hates motorcycles and the less I have to spend on this one, the happier she'll be--would it be ok to take out a stuck thermostat and just warm the bike up really good before riding it?

I've had issues with the normal ones chunking, but never an DESERT model.

Between myself and my friends we have over 45,000 KM's on them..

positive. it's the only tire i'd run for a while because i liked them so much. until i got tired of the knobs ripping off either entirely or partially before the tire was worn.
i do ride on a LOT of rocks and decomposed granite. pretty much like 5 grit sand paper.

__________________
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Thanks for the tip on the thermostat, I'll check it out. I've read that can be a common problem with these bikes, particularly the earlier ones. I have read of some people just taking the thermostat out, and then making sure it gets a good 5 minute or so warmup before taking off. Any thoughts on that?

I know the best would be to buy a new thermostat, but if we hypothetically pretend that my wife hates motorcycles and the less I have to spend on this one, the happier she'll be--would it be ok to take out a stuck thermostat and just warm the bike up really good before riding it?

It'll run even cooler and carbon up worse without the thermostat in there. Search for the NAPA part number, it's cheap to put a new stat in it and it runs better with it.

a good habit is to smear some copperpaste/anti seize compound on a sparkplug's thread. First it'll never seize, second it conducts heat well, and thirdly it will aid in sealing-off the thread-gap from the combustion chamber.
But you, rebuilding this engine, should use it at many places, as stuck bolts are a pain when dismantling an engine.

Yeah, I'll be sure to use some. I'm hoping to not have to rebuild the engine. My plan for now is to adjust the valves, rejet, change the oil and coolant, put in a new sparkplug, put in a new thermostat, and see how it all runs from there. Oh, and I obviously cleaned the air filter. It ran really well before, it was just dying at idle.

Did you have any problems with the clutch and decompressor cables ? they are too short on my bike i have rerouted them but still not 100 % happy , are yours longer ? No problems with the throttle cables as i have the pro motion extra long set .
Btw , nice job you have done there .